


Holey

by yeaka



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-02-14
Packaged: 2018-03-12 08:38:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3350372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilbo helps Bofur fix his scarf.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holey

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Fill for anon’s “Bilbo noticing Bofur's scarf is fraying in parts to the point of unraveling after a fight. While they've made camp Bofur mends it himself, as he's used to doing, and they have a nice chat.” prompt on [The Hobbit Kink Meme](http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/11476.html?thread=22957268#t22957268).
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own The Hobbit or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

The rest of the dwarves, utterly exasperated, do nothing to stop the fight between Nori and Bofur. When so many men are packed in together day after day, it’s inevitable that skirmishes are going to happen, especially when most of those men are rowdy dwarves with grudges going on. This particular fuss is over who’s turn it is to make dinner, even though, as far as Bilbo can tell, it’s always been a responsibility they shared. 

Evidently, Bofur wins, because when the two of them storm back to camp, he plops down next to Bilbo and Nori goes on to start a soup over the fire. Bilbo’s momentarily torn over whether to welcome Bofur back or to scold him. The other dwarves are all ignoring the two, instead grumbling amongst themselves about the delay in dinner. But then Bilbo sees that Bofur’s scarf is fraying so badly that it’s threatening to unravel, and of course, no one ever deserves that. 

So Bilbo reaches over Bofur’s lap to flick the end, and he says consolingly, “I’m sorry to see your scarf’s seen better days.” Bofur, blinking in surprise, leans back to stare down at his chest, then look so utterly woeful that it seems as if the ends of his hat are wilting with him. 

He grunts sadly, “Just my luck,” and shakes his head. Bilbo’s chest instantly clenches; it’s awful to see Bofur sad. He’s normally so bright and cheerful, and Bilbo understands better than anyone here the pains of losing good clothes. Looking sideways at Bilbo and wincing, Bofur explains, “Bifur made this one for me before... well, you know.” Bilbo doesn’t _know_ , but he can guess, and that just makes him all the sorrier.

Fortunately, he would’ve never gone on this journey without the right equipment. He turns around on the log they’re sharing to pull up his pack, which he rummages in for his travel sewing kit. He finds it without too much trouble and holds it up with a small, “Aha!”

The he offers, “I can fix it, if you like.”

But Bofur only smiles and plucks the small container out of Bilbo’s palm, chirping, “Thank you, but I can do it. What a handy thing you are!” Evidently, this is another of those supplies only a hobbit would’ve brought. 

It suits Bofur just as well, who turns on his log to face the fire. Tugging the scarf further off his neck, he threads one of the needles with black thread—only white and black are in the kit, but as Bofur’s scarf is such a mishmash of earthy colours, it should blend in just fine—and he sets to work. Bilbo, at first, expects him to make a mess of it, because he didn’t even know what crocheting was, and dwarves, in general, tend to make messes of everything. 

But Bofur, evidently, knows how to sew quite well. As he knits up his scarf with relative ease and the usual smile on his face, Bilbo finds himself wholly impressed. Curious, he asks, “Wherever did you learn such a thing?”

“I’m a toy-maker,” Bofur says simply. “Or I was, before this quest, anyway, so obviously I have to be good at mending things.”

“That’s quite decent of you,” Bilbo chirps, now wondering what sort of toys Bofur might make; it’s easily the most interest career of all the other dwarves. Certainly the only one Bilbo would be interested in. As he watches Bofur work, he can tell that Bofur’s fingers are quite talented and dexterous. 

Bofur kindly chuckles, “You’re quite a decent fellow yourself, Bilbo. I’m sure your domestic skills are much more practiced than mine.”

“Oh, but that’s right,” Bilbo thinks aloud. “You can also cook.”

“That I can!” Here Bofur pauses his work to grin widely at Bilbo, before proclaiming, “I’m going to make an excellent house-husband for someone, someday!”

Bilbo can’t help but laugh back, finding himself bizarrely in agreement, although he has to add, “Minus the raucous singing and general untidiness, of course.” This only increases Bofur’s smile, who doesn’t at all seem to disagree. He’s just barely finished the first hole when Nori coughs loudly and exaggeratedly from across the fire. 

Clearly in a much brighter mood now, Bofur sighs, “I better go help the poor fellow.” He then unwinds the tattered scarf from his neck and lays it gently down on the log between them. 

As he heads off the log to help Nori with the dinner, Bilbo inconspicuously picks up the scarf and sets to mending it, a new respect for Bofur bright in his chest.


End file.
